How dark is too dark for car window tint in Tennessee?

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A rideshare driver was recently cited in Campbell County for having illegal window tint on his car.
In Tennessee and Kentucky, window tints on frontside windows must allow more than 35% light in. The term is called visible light transmission, or VLT. 35% is considered a medium tint, neither too dark nor too light. This is the tint most police officers in Tennessee will overlook and not issue a citation, but they may cite you if your windows are too dark.
Aaron Campbell is an Uber and Lyft driver. As a single dad and student, he depends on a good running car for his livelihood. It was last month when he bought this 2022 Chevy Bolt from a local dealer.
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Around two weeks after buying the used car, he was given a citation. His driver's side window was too dark. It happened as Tennessee Highway Patrol officers operated a check on 25W in LaFollette on April 4.
The ticket did not include a fine, as the patrol office explained the violation to Campbell. The citation said window tinted, frontside, 25%. Tinted front side windows in Tennessee must allow 35% light.
'I said to the trooper that I wasn't aware that the car was in any sort of violation,' Campbell said.
'He didn't say anything like that, he just gave me the citation,' Campbell said when asked if the trooper told him it was an issue he should have been aware of. 'And told me if I got it fixed before the court date on May 15th that the ticket would be dismissed.'
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On a window tint charts that can be found at window tint businesses are various shades of gray and different numbers representing Visible Light Transmittance, as Cameron Clamon of 865 Tint explains.
'The lower the number the darker the shade, so the less light come through. If you went to five that would mean five percent of light comes through,' he explained.
Campbell's window was 25%. It was too dark for a law officer to see inside. The percentage of solar tint can be found on the windows of most cars. Aaron plans to have the dark window film removed from his car.
'As an Uber driver and as a Lyft driver, they do periodic background checks. This is a Class B misdemeanor,' Campbell said.
It doesn't take to long to scrape off darker window film. Aaron intends to have it done as soon as possible. Clamon told us window tint laws vary significantly by state, with some states having stricter regulations than others.
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Frontside windows for cars in Tennessee is 35 percent VLT. Much darker tints are allowed in Florida, 28 percent. Arkansas allows for even darker at 25 percent.
Campbell's car was sold 'as is,' and the car dealer wasn't responsible for the darker tint. If you're not sure about the window tint on your car or truck, visit a reputable shop that.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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